NBA, Heat in hurry-up mode as camps loom Friday

December 3, 2011|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

MIAMI — While NBA training camps are scheduled to open Friday, it might prove to be a soft opening, with clarity lacking about how teams will fill camp rosters with free agency also not starting until Friday.

"Everyone thinks they won't have it done in time," a player agent said Saturday, "because there's too much to do."

With the league and players' union currently finalizing a new collective-bargaining agreement, and with votes by players and owners not scheduled until Thursday, the scheduled start of camps could leave several teams with an initial inability to work five-on-five.

Because of that, there is an expectation that the league, as it did with its previous hard line on agent contact and workouts at team facilities, will make allowances for players to be on hand for the start of camp.

"Last week they said nothing is starting until Dec. 9 and all of a sudden they said, 'Oh, at 9 a.m. tomorrow we're open for business,' " the agent said of last Tuesday's NBA change of heart when it came to free-agent negotiations. "I think the same thing is going to happen. I think they're going to say you can fly guys there on the seventh and things are going to change. I think they're going to give us direction."

The agent paused, laughed, and added, "It's going to be chaotic."

Under the current limitations, teams cannot even pay to fly in D-League prospects or undrafted players before the actual start of camps. The Miami Heat have reached out to several such prospects, hoping to have them on hand Friday.

"I think there's a lot of uncertainty," the agent said, "but they're proceeding as if everything's going to be a go on the ninth."

There apparently will be one change in the coming week, with contact between players and coaches and team officials, according to ESPN, scheduled to begin Monday at 10 a.m., although coaching during workouts will remain off limits until Friday.

Young or old?

While some believe the lockout-compacted 66-game schedule could move teams to seek younger free-agent candidates, Heat free agent forward Juwan Howard sees this as an opportunity for experienced players such as himself.

Howard said the 50-game season after the 1998-99 lockout showed the value of having players already familiar with the NBA game.

"I know a lot of the younger players had to play a lot of catch up," he said. "Some people say it didn't work in the veteran teams' favor because you play so many games. But also it means you have less practice time."

Healing time

Even amid his latest injury, the hernia surgery that could sideline him for up to two months, Heat forward Mike Miller said he is feeling blessed.

Miller said that his daughter Jaelyn, born during the team's playoff run with four holes in her heart, "is doing fine now. And that's the most important thing, more than any of this."

Two of the small holes have already closed on their own, with the hope that the other two will close without the need for surgery.

"It puts it all in perspective," Miller said.

Options aplenty

The Heat continue to explore any and all free-agent options, with Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea and Washington Wizards guard Maurice Evans among the latest to be contacted. Among other possible Heat wing options, Grant Hill told the Arizona Republic there are "good chances" of a return to the Phoenix Suns, while Detroit Pistons forward Tracy McGrady told the Detroit Free Press he is looking to make a quick decision with his free agency.